Houston neighborhood needs volunteers to help get food to seniors

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A Houston woman says she needs help distributing food to seniors in the Denver Harbor neighborhood.

Rita Robles told ABC13 she's been taking food in boxes to nearly a dozen seniors in that area since April.

She'll make sure the boxes have foods like fresh fruit, vegetables, rice, beans and canned goods.

But she recently had to stop when she, her mother, and her father all became ill. She didn't want to risk passing her illness onto seniors she was helping just in case she had COVID-19.

Robles said she stepped up to help in the first place because the neighborhood is often overlooked when it comes to important social services.

"Many of the seniors are in poor health, they're not mobile, may not be able to walk or drive. They don't have a lot of family who can help them or maybe their families are in need," Robles said.

Even when Robles was distributing food, she said it was without making direct contact with seniors.

But now that she and her family are awaiting results of COVID-19 testing, this is where she needs the public's help.

Robles posted about the need to find volunteers on Facebook, but she's also trying to find food distribution sites that will allow them to pick up multiple boxes of food.

If you'd like to help, you can connect with Robles through the Denver Harbor Civic Club Facebook page.